Illuminated sign or picture.



No. 729,598. PATENTED JUNE 2,1903.

M. L. JOLLY. ILLUMINATED SIGNKOR PICTURE.

APPLICATION rum) JULY 23, 1902.

: mums PETERS cc, Pnotauma. own, 0.

UNITED STATES Patented June 2, 1903.

PATENT @Frrca.

CHRISTIAN G.

ILLUMINATED S IGN OR PICTURE.

SPEGIFIGATIONfon-ning part of Letters Patent No. 729,598, dated June 2, 1903.

' Application ina m 23.1902. satin No. 116,756. (No model.)

To all whom, it in ay concern:

Beit known thatI, MATHIAS L.JOLLY,acitizen of the United States, residing .in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs;

or Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to pictures and signs for ornamenting and advertising purposes, and especially to that class of such apparatus whichare rendered more brilliant and visible by the employment of..sources of This object and others which may more fully appear hereinafter are accomplished by plac ing the design to be exhibited upon a series of reflecting elements, each element carrying part of the design and a part of each element acting as a reflector to reflect light-rays from any suitable source of light onto the visible portion of an adjacent reflector, so as to cause said visible portion of a reflector carrying the design to emit light-rays into the eye of an observer. 1

The accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, illustrate the invention in its preferred form.

Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus, exhibiting the numeral 3. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the apparatus in the middle line of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4. are detail views of parts of the reflectors.

1 in Figs. 1 and 2 is a casing or box surrounded by a framelike structure 2. On opposite sides of this casing are bearing-strips 3, having openings to receive the bearingstnds 5 offthe reflectors 4. N i

The reflectors illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 consist of'simpl'e-thin strips of anydesirable material--such as sheet metal, cardboard,

wood, &c.- a nd they rest;:oneacl1: side with their bearing-studs 5 in the openings of the stationary strip 3. Each reflector carries part of the design to be exhibited, as indicated by the blank space on the surface of the reflectors in Figs 3 to 6 an'd in its totality by the design in Fig. 1. r The reflectors may consist of relatively narrow thin strips, either straight, as in Fig. 4,.or suitably curved, as in Fig. 3. It is obvious thatthe design may be produced in any desired color and that the same is not limited to the kind of a de- :sign such as shown in the drawings-n amely, blank spaces on a relatively dark background.

The reflectors in somecases may be stationary, in which casesonly" that part of the same which is visible to the observer may be provided with a portion of a design, and the invisible part of the reflector may be painted white or any other suitable color or may be provided with a highly-polished surface, such as a mirror, in order to increase its reflecting power.

Should it be desired to exhibit more than one picture with only oneapparatus, then each side of the reflectors maybe provided with an appropriate portion of the designs; but

means must'be provided to turn the desired side 'of the reflector toward the observer.

These meansin a preferred form may consist of studs 6 on one end of an edge of each reflector, which studs 6 enter into suitable holes of a movable strip 7, so that by moving said strip 7 up and down either side of the reflectors may be made visible to an observer.

The design provided n the reflectors according to the herei-nabove-given description will be very well visible in ordinary day light; but in: order to make the same visible at night or in dark places sources of light of any desired character, such as electric lights 8, mustbe provided for behind the reflectors.

The rays of light originating from the source of light will first strike upon the back of each reflector, will be reflected therefrom unto the front of an adjacent reflector bearing part of a design and will then be thrown i'ntothe eye of an observer, producing; thereina. picture of great intensity and illumination and of surprising brilliancy.

Having now described the invention, that which is considered new and useful, and desired to be protected by Letters Patent, is 1. In an illuminated device the combinationwith a series of substantially parallel reflectors, said series being ornamented on the front face thereof with a complete design and means located behind the series for illuminating said design.

2. In an illuminated device, the combination with a series of overlapping reflectors each reflector ornamented with part of one design, of a source or sources of light located behind the reflectors and adapted to throw light unto the ornamented side of the reflectors.

3. In an illuminated device, the combination with a series of substantially parallel reflectors ornamented with part of a design and means for illuminating the rear face of each reflector adapted to reflect light unto the front face of an adjoining reflector.

4. In an illuminated device, the combination with a box, of illuminating means therein and a series of substantially parallel reflectors each having part of a design and being inclined to the front face of the box.

5. In an illuminated device, the combination with a box, of illuminating means therein, a series of substantially parallel reflectors thereon each reflector having part of a design and means for varying the angle formed by the planes of the reflector and the front plane of the box.

6. In an illuminated device, the combination with a casing of illuminating means therein a series of movable reflectors thereon each having part of a design, means for supporting said reflectors in said casing and op-. erating means for said reflectors for varying the angle of inclination of the same to the front plane of the casing.

7. In an illuminated device, the combination with a casing of illuminating means therein, a series of reflectors thereon inclined to the front plane of the casing and having part of a design adapted to receive reflected light from the rear face of an adjoining reflector and means for movably supporting said reflectors in said casing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 12th day of July, 1902.

MATHIAS L. JOLLY.

In presence of- MARCUS O. HOPKINS, E. EVERETT ELLIS. 

